Happy
by TheFireMeltsTheIce
Summary: Zuko, Katara, and Mai all have some difficult choices to make for the benefit of themselves and each other, and to obtain happiness. One-shot. Zutara with mentions of Maiko.


She's there as an act of charity— or so she tells herself. The Fire Nation has many needy, the loss of the war, and the cost of war in the last century had taken a harsh toll on some of the pastoral, outskirt towns. Katara was there to help people who needed it. That was what she did: she helped people, and she was. She just knew, no matter how much she tried to deny it, that ulterior motive shone through her mind like a beacon juxtaposing the blank, black canvas of a starless, waning crescent, night sky. That ulterior motive, that underlying reason, may've, in fact, been the primary reason instead. She was there to even catch a glimpse, or wave a hello to Fire Lord Zuko.

She was now twenty-two-years-old, and Zuko was now twenty-four; it had been seven years since they ended that damned war. Things were calmer, there had been a rebellion in the Fire Nation three years ago, and things were hard for Zuko, but she and Aang had come to help, and things quelled. She'd never seen Zuko so stressed before, never seen him so anxious. That was when her neutral, slanting-positive opinion on Zuko's longtime girlfriend swayed. She wasn't there for Zuko through it all, sure Zuko could have been nicer, and a lot of the time, he did deserve to be snapped at, but other times, she was just being harsh with him for no reason. Worst of all, she'd left him until it was over. She caught wind of the rebellion, and ran off to her supposedly-loathed parents'. She came back when the attacks were over. She was nothing but a fair-weather friend to Zuko. Mai never seemed to listen to Zuko, maybe they kept it behind closed doors, but their relationship seemed nothing but physical from the outside. They kissed, and hugged, but Zuko would say something sweet, or try to spill something heavily weighing on his shoulders down, and he would immediately be shut down. That broke Katara's heart. He had enough on his plate, he deserved someone who would at least listen— at least care.

That was why Katara really stayed. Sure, she was helping people in need, but Zuko was in need, and that was no lie nor exaggeration. He already was hard to get feelings from. It was like pulling teeth to get him to confess his troubles, even the smallest one. Katara knew he felt like a burden, but she knew more than that that keeping your grief bottled inside was anything but healthy for an already-overstressed mind. She stayed. She listened intently to his words. She coaxed him to speak, and tried not to pressure him. She would try to get him to go to bed a decent hour, and brought him dinner down every night.

For that, she was dubbed the "fire lord's whore" by just about everyone in the nation. The fire lord's girlfriend was especially disdaining of this "Water Tribe tramp"— jealous. Katara swore to her final breath she was nothing but a concerned friend, and that really was all she acted as. She would never overstep her bounds, but she worried too much for Zuko to leave him on his own. She knew she loved him. That was why, while she and the avatar were here, she knew that when she thought of Zuko every time their lips met— she had to leave the avatar. She was in love with the scarred, exiled prince turned triumphant fire lord and international peace diplomat. But, because she loved him, she would have left if she felt he was really happy and content with Mai and his life, but even if he did love Mai, which he might she surmised, Mai wasn't there for him, not like a girlfriend should be. Zuko played his role as boyfriend the best he could— and from Katara's witness, that was wonderfully. Zuko was unbelievably busy constantly, the time and devotion he still made for Mai was impressive. But still, Mai would chastise him, belittle him, and shut him out. It was never enough. He was never enough. He had enough of that as a complex without her adding to it. Katara didn't think he deserved that. She thought he deserved the world, no matter how much he'd deny it. She wanted to give him everything she had to offer— but she couldn't. She wouldn't. She would not risk their friendship for her selfish reasons. She wouldn't ruin his relationship like that. She could not.

But, on that sunny, sunkissed, spring afternoon, Katara couldn't bite her tongue anymore. Zuko and Mai were linked arm-in-arm. It had been three days after Zuko's latest assassination attempt, and he had bandages up his leg and over his knee from a serious injury drawn there. Katara had been the one to bandage him, inevitably stirring up more rumors. But, as they walked, a warm smile adorned on Zuko's face, and the ever-present, dour deadpanned expression embellished Mai's bleak persona. Katara was sitting on the ledge of a fountain, reading a book to a group of Fire Nation children, who were shortly prior illiterate. So when Katara heard the shrill of shock, and the clamor of Zuko tumbling down the stone stairs, she gasped, standing up, dropping her book as the kids all turned around. He'd tripped on the length of his robe, clumsier than usual from his limp. Mai had immediately and instinctively, though accidentally, released their arms as she felt him stumble to prevent her own fall. That wasn't what angered Katara. It was her reaction that ignited a fire inside the young waterbender. As Zuko lied on the ground, struggling to his feet, cuts dashed on his face from the fall, Mai giggled.

"You're such a klutz, Zuko," she teased through a giggle from the top of the staircase, making her way down the steps. Katara ran over, helping him to his feet as she shot Zuko's girlfriend a sharp glare.

"He's hurt!" Katara snapped, "He isn't a klutz!"

"Well," Zuko jested, brushing himself off.

"He admits it. He's fine, let us go back to our walk," Mai insisted, taking Zuko back by the arm. "You're fine, right?"

"I'm good," Zuko laughed off, putting his fingers to his unscarred cheek to dab the scathed cuts, leaving stains of blood on his fingertips.

"I just don't see how it's so funny that he fell down the stairs and got hurt. He could have easily broken his neck," Katara hissed.

"Mind your own business," Mai snarled back.

"He almost got murdered yesterday, and that's the way you treat him?" Katara whispered harshly, the words aching her to even spout. "You take him for granted."

Mai then was triggered with the same anger as Katara. Zuko idly stayed by, trying to refrain from the debate. "You are nothing more than some slut who is obsessed with my boyfriend. Guess what? You can go back to the Water Tribe and find some tribal man, or go back to the avatar for Agni's sake. Zuko is my boyfriend, he's bound to marry me. Give up already," Mai gritted from behind her clenched teeth, releasing restrained anger from the past year or so. Katara was shocked by her sudden outburst from the usually blunt knife-thrower. She shook her head in confused denial, glancing over to Zuko's expression, only to find stunned silence, then glancing back to Mai. This was precisely what she feared: intervention, destruction.

"Mai… I— I'm sorry. That was never what I—" Katara stumbled, too flustered to hone in on her anger at the patronizing words Mai spat. "I'll go home. I never meant to meddle with you and Zuko—" Katara was intercepted.

"No," Zuko pleaded brusquely as Mai shot him an envious glare. "You don't have to do that. You stay or go— however you please."

Mai clenched her fists, her eyes watering as she scowled at her boyfriend. She then shook her head in disgust at them both, and stormed off.

"Mai, wait—" Zuko cried out, his hand reaching out for her, as Katara placed hers over top his.

"No, let me go. I'll talk to her. I'm sorry, Zuko," Katara murmured, chasing after Mai. She followed her down winding corridors, until she ceased in a dingy, unfamiliar room. "Mai?" Katara croaked, stepping towards her.

"You know why you have to leave," Mai sniffled in anger, refusing to turn to face the Water Tribe woman.

"—No, I-I don't," Katara stated and Mai shook her head, scoffing, finally turning to her.

"Zuko loves you, and you have something with him. I don't care what you say, you aren't here to help children. That's not it. You want him. You see him more than a friend. Toph and Aang and your brother— they see Zuko as a friend, you'd be an idiot not to be able to see the difference," Mai rambled furiously. Katara remained silent.

"I don't think he loves me," was all Katara could muster out. "He loves you," she assured, but quickly grew angry again. "But, you don't love him. You treat him like he's worthless, and he doesn't deserve that."

"I simply am aware of his faults. Zuko is pathetic, and angry, and he's a failure. He needs someone to pick up his slack, and tell him like it is, or he'll whine his whole life. I'm using tough love," Mai explained. "I don't have to explain anything to you."

"He is not pathetic, and he is not a failure. How can you say that about him— he's your boyfriend? Zuko— he is the victim of abuse, he came out of it all on top despite his past. He is the fire lord, he helped end a war, he's bringing world peace. How can you possibly call him a failure? He thinks lowly enough of himself without you adding to it!" Katara insisted.

"You're too nice. Zuko can't be coddled. You're like stairs. You'd be walked on," Mai curtly rebutted.

"No, if—" Katara held her breath at the mere thought aloud, a fantasy of hers for years, "If Zuko was… my boyfriend, he wouldn't take advantage of me. He treats you like a princess…" Katara scoffed. "Besides, even if he was like that, trust me— I'm no doormat," Katara added snidely. "It isn't coddling to help him— to be there for him… to treat him like he's valuble, a good person. He deserves that at the very least because I don't care what you think, you're boyfriend is a wonderful, kind, loving, loyal, strong, brave, caring, polite, considerate, smart man, and you are lucky to have him! Anyone would be! I know he has faults as any human does, but I'd be willing to overlook them because his good far outnumbers his bad!" Katara cried emotionally. Mai paused, staring at the floor.

"He's not so great as you build him up to be. You say he's faithful? I know he loves you. Maybe he loves me, but it's only as a friend. That's all that's left… He's in love with you. That's all that's left for either of us. If you went to him, he's weak and indulgent, he's been waiting for you and longing for you so long, he'd dive in, without even considering me, so there goes you're considerate trait for him, too," Mai spouted out, shaking her head.

"I won't do that because I respect both of you," Katara replied tersely.

"He doesn't think he's good enough for you. That's why he stays with me. He loves me like a friend. He's safe with me in familiarity. We've been friends since we were children. Him and Ty Lee are my best friends. They're all I have too, my family's a mess," Mai ranted. "He sees you, you're gorgeous, smart, and exciting. I'm plain and he's used to me. He knows he needs a wife. He loves me, so he wants me to stay like a friend, like he'd want Aang or Sokka's company. But, he isn't in love with me; he' s in love with you. But, that's a pipe dream because he doesn't think he could ever be good enough— he doesn't even think he's good enough for me— so, you? In his dreams— literally. You'd never forgive him. So, if you went to fulfill his wildest dreams? He'd toss out our romantic little friendship in a second. Some friend… I wish we even had that at this point," Mai released. She couldn't believe she'd confided all of that in Katara of all people. Katara just blinked wordlessly in response, tears rolling off her cheeks.

"He wouldn't," she choked out. "And, he— he doesn't really believe… I mean… I'm not all that… and I think he's so…"

"Go prove it, then," Mai bluntly grunted, folding her arms over her chest with a scoff.

"You don't… you aren't in love with him?" Katara asked in confusion, shaking her head, a tint of hopefulness in her voice.

"I love him, but I love Ty Lee too," Mai answered, and Katara was intelligent enough to surmise.

"He wouldn't do that though. I know him," Katara muttered. She squinted her gaze determinedly. "Fine, go hide in the corridor curtains. I'll— I'll try something… I'll be humiliated as hell, but I want to show you that Zuko wouldn't hurt you like that," Katara stated as Mai rolled her eyes.

"Fine," Mai agreed, following Katara back through the halls, both of them knowing where they were headed. They were going to the only place Zuko ever really was: his office. Mai peered from the crack in the door as Katara cautiously entered, throwing all of her pride to the wind as she mustered up her courage, humiliated. She went behind Zuko, wrapping her arms around his neck as she leaned her head into the crook of his neck. Zuko felt a chill up his spine. He wanted her. He loved her. He was so in love with her.

"Hey, Zuko," Katara mumbled in his ear with a tint of seductiveness. Zuko closed his eyes.

"Katara," he stated gruffly, giving his shoulder a nudge to get her off. "Please," he added. He didn't want to offend her by implying that she was doing anything romantic, but it was making him uneasy, knowing he was with Mai. Though, Mai had been guessing Zuko had been cheating for months. Mai had even accused Zuko of sleeping with Katara a month ago. Katara bit her lip, and reluctantly with her face beat-red, nibbled his ear.

"Come on, Zuko," Katara urged in a pur.

"What are you doing?" Zuko asked, raising his hand to try to stop her. His confusion was inexplicable. He bit his tongue, "Katara… please… I-I have Mai… just— I don't— Please," he rambled, his face now tinted pink. Katara smirked, and headed for the door, and Zuko stood. "N-No, you don't have to go— just… stop… _that_."

"I'm sorry, Zuko," Katara whispered, and she was. She'd pretty much exploited his feelings for the sake of proving a point. If Mai was right about Zuko's feelings for her, then she'd really just screwed with him, making things harder. When she shut the door behind her, she found Mai with her eyes watering.

"I really thought he'd go to you…" Mai said quietly. "…A part of me… wanted him to…"

"What?" Katara rasped, perplexed.

"It would give me a reason to leave him," Mai mumbled. "I care about him. But, I can't do it anymore. I can't be married to him. I don't love him. He… he isn't right for me. I did love him before, but now… I don't understand him. He irritates me even, I feel like he's whining, and I guess he's not, but I can't take it. I'm just… proud of him for that… I'm glad he respects me. I… I do want him to… be okay."

"…What you said… it's true?" Katara muttered.

"What?" Mai grunted, still jealous. Something she always had was Zuko, even if she didn't love him. She had him. He was hers. She knew she could do whatever she wanted to him, and he'd always be there. That was why she even unleashed her own secret, unorthodox sexual fantasies upon him in their chamber. His back and chest were decorated with enough scars from the blade of her knife to prove that. A part of her regretted exploiting him so— she surely left more than physical scars for her own selfish reasons. The fact that his pain-contorted features turned her on, or the blood that dripped down his back as her nails curled into the slits from her blade made her more aroused must have affected him greatly. She knew that he flinched each time they'd sleep together. She finally snapped back to the conversation, knowing she could never tell Katara this.

"He… he loves me? He wants me?" Katara mumbled.

"Yes. I know him. I know he loves you. I can tell," Mai confirmed.

"Then… I can make him okay. I know I can. You… you can leave him. It'll be alright," Katara promised, and she meant it; she meant it with her whole heart and soul. Mai nodded in response, taking a deep breath.

"I'm going to… Go get it over with now," Mai concluded abruptly, and Katara's eyes widened in surprise.

"You don't have to—" Katara interrupted.

"I want to," Mai assured.

"Where will you go?"

"To stay with Ty Lee. Flirt with guys with a clean conscience," she joked. Katara nodded.

"Good… good luck," Katara bade. Mai nodded, and walked through the door. Katara eavesdropped nosily, anticipating Zuko's heartbreak. She didn't want to be some kind of rebound girl, but maybe she could help stop the leak of pain if she intervened immediately. Maybe Mai would be honest enough that it wouldn't be awkward for her to. Katara kept her ear pressed to the door.

"I can't do it anymore."

"What? What's the matter?"

"Us, Zuko."

"…Mai, I— I haven't been with Katara, please. Y-You can't… please don't leave me alone, Mai—"

"Zuko, you love her. Look me dead in the eye and deny it."

"…"

"Exactly. I don't love you either. I care for you, I do, Zuko. But, we— us. We're not working, and you know it."

"…I-I know. But, I— it can…"

"It can't. Not when I don't love you, and you love her, and don't love me."

"She loves you."

"…_What_? Mai… No… She— she—"

"She told me."

"What?"

"I swear it. I'm going to Ty Lee's. I'll be fine. You idiot, the girl's been hanging out here for two years. She's in love with you. You'll be fine. Agni, maybe you'll be happy for once. Go to her, Zuko. Make yourself happy, and let me make myself happy."

"Mai… a-are you… are you sure… I— I'm going to miss you…"

"Me too. But, I'm sure. It's for the best, seriously. Our relationship… it's toxic… for you."

"No… I'm lucky you've stayed with me this long… thank you. I-I haven't been—"

"No, don't even, Zuko. You've been nothing but good to me. You work hard, and you still tried to make me happy. I'm sorry. I've been an awful girlfriend to you, and it wasn't fair. Don't debate me on this. Just— if you're going to do anything, please accept my apology."

"Al- alright. I do. I'll always be here for you, Mai."

"Thank you, Zuko. Goodbye."

With that, Mai opened the door, and Katara scurried away, swallowing down the lump in her throat. Mai had made it easier. She gave Katara a smile.

"Go to him. Make him happy. He… he deserves to be happy. He's been miserable too long," Mai told Katara with a nod, then she went up to her room to assemble her things, and vanish into the night. Katara then smiled, and stepped into Zuko's office for what seemed like the millionth time, yet it felt so new.

"Zuko," Katara called, and he looked up, tears gleaming in his eyes. Katara gave him a warm smile. He had a glistening of hope behind his amber eyes. Katara nodded, and ran into his arms— crying. Zuko enveloped her in a longing embrace.

"Oh, Katara," Zuko choked out, "How can you possibly—"

"Shhhh," Katara soothed, knowing what words would follow from his lips. "I do, and you do deserve it. You're incredible, and I love you with all my heart."

Zuko choked out a sob in disbelief. "I love you, Katara. I'm so in love with you— since I came to you and the group in the air temples, I've known, and then the agni kai— I was sure… that's why—"

Katara stopped him by cupping his face, her thumb caressing his marred flesh gently and affectionately as she drew him into a tender, loving, and longly-awaited kiss. Zuko's arms tucked into her hair as he fell into her kiss, and Katara could feel him smile, and she smiled in exchange. Mai stood at the door, peaking through the crack, and she too smiled.

Maybe for once— they could _all_ be happy.


End file.
